Renovating meant many more months of planning and complicated
the goal of getting a gold rating from the National Association of Home
Builders National Green Building Standard program, but the Goodnows
were undaunted. They used a combination of beautiful things, such as
countertops of recycled glass and custom-designed bamboo cabinets, and
less glamorous material and technology, such as Icynene insulation and
geothermal heating and cooling.

Because the house was right on the street — and over the property line
—it had to be moved back 20 feet. The footprint could not exceed that of the
original buildings, so to maximize square footage, they slid the garage over and
made it part of the house. Then they put the whole thing up
on two dozen 15-inch-diameter wood pilings, driven 35 feet
deep, to protect the house from storm surges. Plumbing took
the form of Clivus Multrum foam-flush toilets and compost

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and gray water (water from all non-toilet fixtures such as showers and washing
machines) systems, which also ensures that no damaging nitrogen is discharged
into the delicate coastal ecosystem.

Preserving the unique indigenous architecture applied only to the exte-rior. “This is a sleek contemporary interior in a rustic shell,” says designerWendy Valliere of Seldom Scene Interiors Inc. of Nantucket, Boston, andStowe, Vermont, who worked with the Goodnows on finishes and furnish-ings. With a mere 1,040 square feet of space, every inch mattered. Thus,the front entrance is also the laundry room; the kitchen table converts toa bunk when daughters Brooke, 22, and Heather, 23, visit. Son Sam, 13,has a Murphy bed, making his room a multipurpose family room, and theingenious integration of the master bedroom and bath turns that tight spaceinto a luxury spa. “This was a great exercise in learning how little you canget by with,” says Kim.

TO QUANTIFYthe “greenness” of West Wind’s renovation, Woodmeister
Master Builders turned to the National Association of Home Builders National
Green Building Standard third-party certification program. NGBS projects are
rated in the categories of site development; energy, water, and resources
efficiency; indoor environmental quality; and homeowner education. They are
awarded Emerald, Gold, Silver, or Bronze ratings. West Wind earned a Gold
rating, the first in Massachusetts, which means the building is at least 50
percent more efficient than Energy Star ratings require. Nahbgreen.org.

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the garage was attached to the left
side of the house and became the new
master suite. The outdoor shower, to
the left of the porch, can be accessed
from the porch or the master bath.